National Elementary Honor Society

How Students Become Members

Students who excel academically and model exceptional responsibility can become members through a local selection process that concludes with induction into the school's National Elementary Honor Society chapter.

Eligibility Requirements

Students in grades 4-6 who meet the requirements for membership outlined by their school's chapter are eligible to be invited for membership.

Each chapter is required to publish its qualifications for membership, which is based on the four pillars of NEHS:

Scholarship
Per national guidelines, at a minimum, students must have a cumulative GPA of 85, B, 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent standard of excellence. (Each school chapter is allowed to require a higher cumulative GPA.)

Responsibility

Service

Leadership

Students who meet the scholarship requirement will have an opportunity to complete a form detailing other accomplishments and attributes.

Understanding the Obligations of Membership

Students who accept membership and are inducted into the chapter should be aware of the time and commitment involved with this honor. For example, there may be chapter meetings. The chapter bylaws should articulate the yearly meeting schedule and member attendance obligations. Members also must participate in chapter service projects to benefit the school and community.

Students who qualify for membership into the National Elementary Honor Society will be notified by the chapter sponsor.
​

Transferring Membership

Moving to a new school? NEHS membership is transferrable from one active NEHS chapter to another.

Your student needs to simply get a letter from your current school's principal or chapter adviser verifying membership. Be sure your student notifies his or her new school of NEHS membership within 30 days of enrollment.

Your student will be automatically granted membership in a school with an active chapter, but will need to meet the eligibility requirements of his or her new school within a reasonable period of time, usually one semester, to maintain membership. The new school may have a higher cumulative GPA required for membership, for example.

Transferring as a Candidate

If your student has been identified as a candidate for membership, but not yet been selected, the student is not an Honor Society member. Thus, there is no membership to transfer. Your student will need to learn eligibility criteria at the new school and learn from the chapter adviser how to submit a candidate information form to be considered for membership, if he or she meets the chapter's academic requirement.

Membership in NEHS does not transfer to NJHS. The candidacy and selection processes for NEHS and NJHS are entirely separate for each organization.